Dust-collector for flour-mills



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

n P. PRINZ. I DUST COLLECTOR FOR PLOUR MILLS. L

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(No Model.) PRINZ sheetssheet 2.

DUST VOLLEGTR FOR FLOUR MILLS.

No. 272,474. 7Paten1fedfeb-2o, 18s-s.

.cA N, PETERS. Pham-Hmmm wnhhgun u UNITED STATES- PATENT rricn.

.FAUsriN PRINZ, Ior MILWAUKEE, ,Wisden-sin.

'DUST-COLLECTOR FORV FLOUR-MILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 272,474, dated February 20, 1883.

Application tiled September 4, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom'z't may concern:

Be it known that I, FAUSTIN PRINZ, a subject of the Emperor of Germany, but having declared my intention of becoming a citizen of the United States, a resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Dust-Collectors for Flour-Mills, of which thefollowing is a speciiicalion.

This invention relates to dust-collectors for Hour-mills; and it consists in the construction and arrangement of parts, substantially as specifically described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure lis across-sectional view. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View. Fig. 3 is a detached detail viewofl the knocker and balloon revolving mechanism. Fig. 4 is a view of a portion of one end ofthe balloon, illustrating the mannerof revolving it. Fig.5

is a detached reversed perspective view of the.

baclrdraft supply-tube and cut-off. Fig. 6 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a portion of the balloon and back-draft tube and cut-off, illustrating their construction.y Fig.y 7 is asectional view of a portion of one of the dust-collecting bags and itswedge-shaped holdingplate. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the 'dust-collecting bags and its wedge-shaped securing-plates. Fig. 9 represents perspective views of the different parts of the balloon, knocker, and revolving mechanism disconnected from each other.

A is the outer casing or frame,\madein any desired mannerupon either end of which square or other shaped hoods or boxes A2.A3 are placed, as shown.

Formed through the ends of ther casing A', in the centers of lhe hoods A2 A", are circular openings, in which metal yor. wooden rings B B2 fit. flush with the outer surface of the casing A', and their inner edges project inside the casing far enough to receive two circular wooden heads, C C2,-which are secured thereto by screws, or by other means, whilethe outer edges of the rings are free t-o revolve in the openings through the casing.

Attachedv to the insides of the heads C G2 "are rtwo other heads, C3 G4, somewhat larger 'thanthe heads C G2, and connected to each other at their outer peripheries by wooden The outer endsof saidrings come` bars a', arranged at equal distances apart and parallel to each other. The centers of these inner heads, C3 U4, are cut out so that they are even with the rings B B2, and theedges of these cut-out portions are connected to each otherl by small wooden bars c2, equal in number to the bars a',as shown,and arranged parallel to each other, and with equal-sized spaces between them. By this means a circular balloon or cage is formed with annular ends, connected by two rows of parallel slats or bars, and leaving an open circular central space entirely through it, and suspended by the rings B B2 in the frame A', and adapted to be revolved upon said rings as journals. The outer slats, a' a2, are formed with double angular sides, as shown, being the widest through the central part, and tapering toward the outer and inner sides, the object to be hereinafter set forth. These slats a a2 form the supports for the dustcollecting fabric, which is arranged thereon in a peculiar manner, which I will here describe. A section of cloth of the proper quality, a littlc wider than the distancebetween the heads G3 O4, and long enough to reach from the outer `sides of the outer bars, a', to the outer surface of the inner row of bars, a2, is taken and doubled over upon itself, with the fold across the center of the length ot' the cloth. The edges at right angles to the fold are then sewed together, forming abagor pocket. closed at one side by the fold in the cloth and at the ends by the edges being sewed together,while the remaining side is left open. This is more clearly shown in Fig. 8, which represents one of these pockets detached.

D represents'the main part .of the cloth; b', the folded part; b2, the sewed-up ends, and b3. theI open front. There are as many of these pockets as there are inner slats a2, the folded edge b of each pocket being attached to the outer side of one of these bars by tacking or otherwise through a cord, wooden strip, or other suitable binding, b4, from the inside of the pocket.

' the latter would pull oil' from them; but by the use of the holding-strips b4 the. cloth is held This cord or strip b4 lies along tbenw Vinside of the folded part b2, and serves to pre- IOO firmly the whole length of the bag, and will not pullout. The bags are attached to the slats a2 before the slats are set in place on the heads C3 G4 or the ends sewed up. The slats a? are then placed in position, and the outer edges,b3,of the attached bags Ddrawn through the space between the slats u which comes opposite to the inner slat, to which the folded sides are respectivelyattached and tacked and glued to the outwardly-slanting sides ot' the libs a', as shown in Fig. 6. The cloth ywill only then be in contact with the ribs a outside their centers or on the outer angles of their sides, leaving the sides of the cloth from the center ot' the strips a to the cords b4 entirely free. By thus beveling the edges of the outer slats I am enabled to tack and glue the cloth fast more readily, as well as to more firmly hold the cloth, and the strain between the cloth and wood is at an angle, and draws the cloth down aga-inst the wood, and not away from it. Hence the tacks and glue will not be so liable to tear loose as they would if the strains were at right angles to or parallel with A the surface of the wood. The wood of the bars al', by being cut away on the inside next the cloth, increases the cloth surface without materially decreasing the strength of the bars nf. This arrangement brings the sewed edges b2 against the inner surface of the heads C3 C, as shown in Fig. 7, which represents a section of one ot' these bags and a portion of one set of the heads C G3; and to secure these ends to said heads wedge-shaped blocks E are inserted intothe bags D, and nailed orotherwise secured to the heads C304 from inside the bags, thus firmly securing the ends of the bags between them. The outer ends of these blocksE arejust wide enough to fit between the slats a', while the inner ends are just about as wide as cords b4. The spaces between the slats a are too narrow to admit the hand or an ordinaryhamnier between them to nail the blocks E to the heads. Hence before they are inserted into the bags the requisitenumber ofnailscto holdthem are set into them, as shown in Fig. 8, and then, when the blocks are properly placed, the nails are driven home by an implement made for the purpose. Screws may be substituted for nails, if desired. By this arrangement a dustcollecting balloon having the usual zigzag conformation of the cloth is produced, and in a manner to thoroughly prevent leakage, the cord b4 securely holding the inner edges of the bags,and the tacking and gluing upon the beveled slats a securely holding the outer edges, while the ends are veryjrmly secured by the sewing of the edges together and then nailing the blocks E over said sewed edges. '.lo

strengthen the bars a2, a series of hoops, d', will be placed around their inner sides, to which each bar will be secured by screws or nails, the length of the machine determining the number ot the hoops. For supporting the outer bars, a', hoops cl2 will be used, encircling the outer bars at suitable distances apart, and

to which each bar is secured by nails or screws. In very long machines each outer bar a will be provided with a truss wire or rod, c', secured at the ends of the bars or through the heads C3 C4 by nuts, so that they may be drawn up to tighten the rods. Bridgeblocks eZ t between the bars and rods, so as to cause the rods to assume the bracing form shown. By this means the bars in long machines may be kept from sagging by the strain of the cloth or their own weight. Light bars may thus be used, and made as strong by means ot the rods and bridge-blocks as heavy bars.

I have shown both the rings d2 and rods e and bridge-blocks c2 arranged on one machine to simplify the drawings;l but in practice the rings will be used only on short machines and the trusses used only on long machines.

In the lower part of the casing A a screw conveyer, F, is arranged to carry off the dust that falls from the surface of the balloon. The shaft of the conveyer runs through both ends of the casing, and one end of it, outside ofthe casing, is provided with the belt-pulley or gear by which the eonveyer is revolved, while the other end outside the casing is provided with a crank-arm, T, the object of which will be hereinafter explained.

G is a shaft passing through the casing A parallel with the eonveyer F, but at a greater elevation and off to one side, as shown. 1t is vjournaled at one end in the casing, at g, while the other end passes through the casing, and is provided outside thereof with two bellcranks, H I, the crank H being tight upon the shaft G and the crank I loose upon the same shaft.

Attached to the shaft G, inside the casing A, at intervals, are knockers K, adapted to strike the rib al, which for the time being happens to be in a line directly beneath the center of the balloon, a series ot' blows, as hereinafter set forth.

L is a third shaft, passing through the casing A parallel with the shaft G and convey er F, and provided on the end, inside the casing, with a cam or arm,M,and on the outside with a ratchet-wheel, N.

P is a triangular metal plate, through the corners of which the two shafts Gr L and the shaft of the conveyer F are journaled, the plate thus forming a hanger or frame for the shafts and conveyer, and preventing them from wearing the wood of the casing. Hubs h will be formed upon the inside of this plate P, around the shafts, to project through the casing A, and thus prevent the shafts from coming 'in contact with the wood, and also to form longer bearings for the shafts.

is a small lng, projecting from the lower corner of the plate P, through which athreaded bolt, m, passes, and is provided with nuts upon both sides of the lug, so that the bolt may be set back and forth through the lug to tighten or loosen a spring, n, which connects the lower arm, r', otl the bell-crank H and the boltm, as

IIS

shown. The upper arm, r2, of the bell-crank H projects in a nearly horizontal line towardarm r2 down, and then to be suddenly thrown up against cthe rib a by the reaction of the spring n, thus delivering as many blows to the ribs a. as there are pins in the ratchet-wheel N. The ribs a will be protected bya sheathing of band-iron where the knockers strike them, to prevent wear. The outer end ot' the arm r2 is provided with a small adjustable plate, r3, which may be set farther away from or nearer to the shalt Gr, to lengthen or shorten the arm r2 to regulate the distance which the -pins tshall move the arm downward, the

shorter the arm r2 r3 the shorter the stroke of the knockers, and the longer the arms lthe longer the stroke. By this means heavy 0r light blows may be struck, as desired.

The hell-crank arm l is also provided with the two arms fu c2, similar to the arms 1^ 7201 the bell-crank H, except that the short arm e" projects upward instead of downward.

Pivoted to the upper'end ot' the arm c is a dog, o3, adapted to catch over the teeth ot' the ratchet-wheel N, above the center, while another dog, Q24, is pivoted to the arm o2, and adapted to engage with the teeth ot' the ratchet-wheel below the center, as shown. The dog c remains vin contact with the teethof the ratchet-wheel by its own weight; but a counterweight, c5, or a spring will be necessary to hold the dog o4 in contact with the teeth. The

pivoted points ot the dogs o3 v4 are at equal distances from the center of the shaft G.

It is a small rod connecting-the outer end of the arm o2 with the small crank T, before mentioned. Bythis arrangementtheconstant revolution of the conveyer causes the crank T to revolve and move the arm o2 up and down and the arm Ubaek and forth. This action causes the dog e3 to catch over the teeth of the l.ratchet-wheel N when moved away from it and revolve it a short distance toward the 'shalt G. It then slips back with the return-stroke and catches again on the next tooth, while at the same time the dog v4 is slipping over the teeth at the upstroke ot' the arm v2 and catching upon them at the downstroke, and revolving the wheel while the dog v3 is vmaking its return-stroke. By this means the dogs c3 fufact alternately and keep the ratchet-wheel steadily revolving, there being no perceptible pause betweenv the changes'of the dogs.

Upon the outer side ofthe head C4, between the outer rims of the heads O2 and U, are

small projecting pinete, one for each slat a',

against which the cam or arm Mstrikes when the shaft L is revolved Aby the action of the dogs v3 c4, and thus the balloon is revolved the distance between two of the bars a', and re- 7o mains stationary until the cam comes around again.

The pins t on the ratchet N are arranged to I occupy about three-fourths of the circumference of the wheel N, leaving an open space, t. This is to cause the knockers K to remain inactive while the balloon is being revolved, the open space t being formed at the proper point to bring the arm r2 r3 inside of it while the cam M is in contact with one ot' the pins w on 80 the balloon. By this arrangement the revolution of the couveyer F imparts the revolving motion to the ratchet-wheel Nand its shaft L, and causes the cam M to catch one of the pins w on the balloon and revolve it until the cam passes beyond the pin, when it will leave the balloon stationary until it comes around again and catchesupou thenext pin. While thecam M is in contact with the pins w the open space t will be opposite the arm 'r2 r3, and not affect 9o the k nockers; but as soon as the cam M leaves the pin w and the balloon again becomes sta-V tionary the pins t again begin to act and o per-` ate-the knockers K. Iuthe drawings eight ot' the pins tare shown; -hnt a greater or less number may be used, as desired, the open space t' being enough so that the knockers will not operate whilethe balloon is4 in motion, as, if they operated unintermittently, part of the blows would bev struck between the ribs a'. Thus each rib a will be struck eight light rapid blows at each pause ofthe balloon, and the knockers remain stationary when the balloon is in motion.

V is a hat plate, usually ot' wood, lying through theinterior ofthe balloon, wideenough to cbver four or more ofthe ribs a2, and with its ends extending through the covers ot' the hoods A2 A3, and armed with a felt or other suitable packing, y, where it cornes in contact with the ribs a2, so as to make an `air-tightjoint between them. This packingis formedk bya thin sheet ot' rubber, felt, or other suitable material, stretched over the wooden plate, with a rlayer of cotton, wool, or other sott substance be tween them. By this means the soft surface presses into all irregularities of the ribs a.z and forms a pert'ectl y air-tight joint at all times.

V2 is ,a hollow sheet-metal covering to the plate V', attached to its sides, these two parts- IOO ilo

viz., the plate V' and covering V2-forming.a

communication is opened between the spaces vbetween the cloth bags D and the tube V V2, one after-the other, as the balloon is revolved, to afford a back-draft to assist in cleaning the cloth, as hereinafter set forth. Small bolts may be set down through the outer ends of the plate V', and surrounded by rubber or other springy collars :102, so that by screwing the nuts of the bolts w' up the plate V' may be drawn down upon the ribs a2, to increase the pressure in event of wear and prevent leakage, the spring-collars .r2 allowing the plate to give a little, to permit it to adapt itself to any irregularities ot' the surface ot' the ribs.r By this means the tube V' V2 may be kept pressed upon the ribs with suiticient force at all times. Any other suitable means may be employed to secure the tube, however, as I do not wish to ccntine myself to this particular method ot' fastening. rThe holes in the covers ofthe hoods A.Z A3, through which the ends ot the tube V V2 pass, are larger than the tubes, to permit the requisite adjustment by the bolts fr', and to prevent leakage at these points collars V3 V4 are arranged around the tube to cover these open spaces, as shown in Fig. 2.

Y' Y2 are two frames, covered with cloth, Y3 Y, and hinged or otherwise attached to the hoods A2 A3, as shown in Fig. 1, to form screens to remove the dust from the air which enters the tubes V' V2, as hereinafter shown. These frames Y' Y2 are made removable, as shown, for cleaning or for other purposes.

Leading from the sides of the hoods A2 A3 are spouts, which connect with a suction-fan, A", (see small diagram, Fig. 10,) by which the dust-laden air from the puritiers is drawn through the machine. 'lnednst-laden air from the purifiers will enter the casing A through an opening in the side, top, or bottom of the casing, preferably through the bottom.- This opening is not seen in the sectional drawings; but it is so common that it need not be illusirated.

The operation is as follows: rlhe fan or fans AG being set in motion, the dust-laden air is drawn through all the sections of cloth, except those covered bythe plate V', from the outside toward the inside, and at the same time, by reason ot' the ends of the tube V' V2 opening out into the mill, draws astrong current oi'air into the tube down through the slot z and out through the sections ot' cloth on either side of the space into which the slot e opens in the reverse direction to the air passing through the remainder ofthe cloth, asindicated by the arrowsin Figs. 1, 2, and 6. At the same time, as bet'ore described, the rib a', thatI for the time being is directly downward, is struck a series of blows by the knockers K,

to shake the adhering dust loose from the cloth, these two agents-viz., the back-draft of air and the kiiockers-eiiectually removing 4all the dust. By the means described each section of the cloth,as it becomes coated with dust and chop, is brought beneath the slotz, and there held stationary while the rib a' is struck a series ot' blows, and a strong current of air is passed through the section of clothin a direction opposite to that taken by the cnrrent which deposited the dust. The adhering dust is thus quite citectually removed, and the operation is continued or repeated as often as is found necessary. Many small particles of the dust and chop become so firmly attached to the cloth that the mere shaking or jarring of the cloth will not remove them; but by forcing a current of air back through the cloth from the opposite side every adhering particle of dust will be driven loose from the cloth and drop into the conveyer F and be carried oi. rlhe dust will usually fall from the section being cleaned in a mass or thick stream, so that the main current of air will notaffect it, but'it will fall into the conveyer F; and to more ef'- fectually prevent any interference by the airnurrents, one side, F', of the trough ofthe conveyer F is extended np to the ribs a of the balloonfand provided with a sott felt or rub ber liacking-strip to form a tight joint between the ribs andside of the trough, so that no passage ofthe air back and forth beneath the balloon is permitted. Hence the falling dust is undisturbed.

It frequently happens that the air in the mill surrounding the casingA is impregnated with dust, In such case, the draft wouid draw any such loose dust into the tube and drive it into the cloth from the inside; but 1 ei'ectnally prevent this by drawing my supply ot' air for the backdraft through the cloth Y3 Y, thus removing any dust and furnishing pure dustless air only for the hack-draft.

By making the casiugs Y' Y2 removablethey can be easily cleaned when clogged by dust.

The crank 'llconsists in a main arm orshank, set through a hole 1n the end of the shaft ot' the conveyer F, as shown in detached enlarged tigures at the side ot' Fig. 3, and held at any point by a set-screw, the crankpin for the lower end of the rod 1t being secured in the outer end of this shank, as shown. By adjusting the crank-pin nearer to or i'arther away from the conveyor-shaft the throw ot' the dogs v3 o' may be increased or reduced, and the number of teeth ot' the ratchet caught by them at each stroke likewise increased or decreased to regulate the speed of the revolution of the balloon.

lt will of course be understood that, instead of' drawing the air through the balloon and slotted tube by suction, it may be forced through by separate blowers, one blower impelling it through the balloon and the other through the tube, in which case the current through the tube could be weaker than that through the balloon. Stich change is obvious, and either method may be used.

1 reserve the right to claim in a seprate applica tion the construction embracing the trusswires e' and bridges c2.

I do not claim, broadly, in this application the baclcdraft feature, as the same is claimed in an application heretofore tiled by me on or about the 7th day of July, 1881.

IOS

1. In a dust-collector, a dust-collecting medium formed intolseparate compartments, in combination with a device for isolating aportion of said compartments from the others and permitting air to pass into said isolated portions through the end next to said device, and means for inducing an air-current through said isolated and other compartments, substantiail y as set forth.

2. In a dust-collector, a dust-collecting medium formed into. separate compartments, in

combination with a device for isolating a portion of said compartments from the others, and means for inducing an air-current through the isolated portion from one end and through the other portion from the opposite end, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a dust-collector, a dust-collecting medium formed into separate compartments, in combination with means for inducing an aircurrent through a portion of said compartments from one end and then through another portion from the opposite end, substantially as set forth.

4E. In a dust-collector, a dustcollecting medium formed into separate "compartments, in combination with a device for isolating a por,- tion of said compartments from the others, means for admitting an air-current intolsaid isolated portion, and means for purifying the air before its admission into the isolated por tion, substantially as specified. v

5. In a dust-collector, the combination of a dust-collecting medium formed into separate compartments, a device for isolating a portion of said compartments from the others,A means for admitting a current of air to such isolated portion, means for purifying the air before its admission into said isolated portion, and mechanism for jarring the isolated portion, substantially as specified.

6. In adust-collector, a dust-collecting medium formed into separate compartments, in combination with a tube connecting a' portion of said compartments with the outside air, substantially as specified.

7. In a dust-collector, a dust-collecting medium formed into separate compartments, in`

combination with a tube connecting a portion of said compartments with the outside air, and a screeny for purifying the air before its admission into said tube, substantially as specified.

8. Adust-colleting balloon havingseparate compartments composed of dust-collecting material, in combination with casing A', hoods A2 A3, and tube V V2 having the slot z, substantially as set forth.

9. In a dust-collector, the combination of a dust-collecting medium formed into separate compartments, a device for isolating a portion of said compartments from the others, and means for automatically adjusting said device, substantially as specified.

10. A dust-collecting'balloon having separate compartments composed of dust-collectin'g material, in combination with hoods A2 A3, back-draft tube V' V2, exible packing y, and means for regulating the tension of said tube, substantially as set forth.

l1. The dust-collecting-balloon frame consisting of heads C C2 C3 G4, supporting-rings B' B2, outer ribs, a', and inner ribs, a2, in combination with supporting-rings d d2, substantially as specified.

12. In a dust-collector, the combination of the pocket D, supporting-ribs thereforfa strip, b4, for strengthening the material ofthe pocket, and means for securing the strip to the supporting-rib, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

13.'In a ldust-collector, the dust-collecting medium D, in combination with inner supporting-ribs, a2, and rib a', beveled on its inner and outer edges, the medium being secured to the outer beveled edge, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

14. In a dust-collector, the combination of pockets D, heads G3 C4, ribs a a2, and blocks E, the ends of the pockets being turned and secured to the heads bythe blocks, as shown, for the purposes specified.

15. In a dust-collector, the combination of pockets D, the strip b4 in its fold, ribs a' a2, heads C2 G3, and blocks E, the ends of poel;- ets D being turned and secured to the heads by the blocks,as shown, for the purposes specitied.

16. The combination of the conveyer F, having the adjustable crank-arm T, shaft G, having the knockers Kand bell-crank H fast thereon, spring n, bell-crank l, having the dogs foi o4, shaft L, having the arm M and ratchetwheel N, provided with pins t, connecting-rod It, plate P, and a dust-collecting balloon provided with pins w, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

17. The dust-collectin g balloon consisting of the heads C G2 C3 G4, ribs a a2, cloth sections D, and supporting-rin gs B B2, in combination with the casing A and division-plate F', whereby air-currents are prevented from passing back and .forth beneath the balloon, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FAUSTIN PRINZ. v

Witnesses :t

GEO. L. JONES, Y ALBERT B. ROE'DER.

ICO

IIO 

